Automatic tow bar



Aug. 6, 1940. H. H. Rouw AUTOMATIC TOW BAR Filed Aug. 9, v1959 2 sheets-sheet 2l Patented Aug. 6, v194() I i ff' AUTOMATITOW'PR 193s, seriai Na'zjsogos and titled cniveljsalaptgf may be quickly and easilyf'installedfo attached to readily accessible parts of an au to1nobile, such as respective fiont and rear` bumpers o f alito;

mai-165m andmf'land @emr-aybehandelt 'nd' operated by One'fiyerso lWhornefefi net be cularly` skilled in 'the use ol such appliances. iftl'ie'ib'jectofthe-`inVe1f1tion topifoyide -inanft'oW-bar VWithan autoniaticsteeiing its mentation; that is-,jone whih-isf Y. tolltl bl" ded viewof the st ub axle the st ring element lanjyiew of poiftions @galli-face mnbeifs @alabama The ball 6| being provided with a threaded and shouldered base 63 and the nut 64 for suitable mounting on the step 28 of the bracket 2'|.

The outer end of the guide arm 60 has an internal screw thread suitable for receiving therein the threaded clevis mount 81. VThe clevis 65 is equipped to receive the vertical pin 66. The tube 58 at the point threaded for the clevis end 81 in split longitudinally and is provided with a conventional pinch collar 88 so as to tightly retain the clevis therein after necessary adjustments have been made. While not shown in the drawings, a simple lock-nut may-be mounted on the threaded end 61 of the clevis 65 to-secure its position in the tube 68. Y

The steering arm portion 18, which is also a part of the flexible steering arm or link member, has a forward end which is drilled or is provided with an eyelet to exibly engage the vertical pin 6B of the aforementioned clevis 65.' This arm portion 'I8 also extends back tothe stub axle 58 of the front wheel 35 on the rearv vehicle 8. The rear end of the steering arm portion 'Illhas a horizontal collar 1| integral therewith suitable for receiving the axle attachment hereinafter described in detail.

The axle attachment which acts as a mounting means for the arm 78 consists of; first, an in ternally threaded bushing 5| `which engages the threaded end 58a ofk the non-rotating stub axle 58 of a steerable, front, vehicle wheel. This bushing 45| is about two inches longer than the threaded end 58a and therefore extends outward slightly beyond the end of the axle. The bushing 5| is also split longitudinally and is provided with a pinch collar 52 which makes a tight and rigid connection with the axle 50.

Next, the stud bolt 53 is tightly screwed into the threaded bushing 5| so that the abutting ends of the axle portion V50a and the stud bolt 53 touch. The stud bolt 53, in addition to providing a threaded end for the lock-nut 54, also supplements the pinch collar 52 in locking the bushing 5| to the axle 58. Y

VThe collar portion of the steering arm 10 is placed over the outer end of the` bushing 5| and is retained thereon by the lock-nut 54 and the washer 55 and the Cotter pin 56. The collar portion 7| ts just loose enough so as to permit the arm member 'I8 to swivel on or freely rotate around the bushingrl. As the stub axle 58 does not rotate and as the movement of the arm 'l0 is limited to a very small radius, there is little likelihood of the aforementioned axle attachment parts becoming disassembled while in use.

The part 78 of the exiblesteering member curves inward slightly at its forward end so as to bring the pin G8 of the clevis 65 about in line with the center of the tread of the tire. The arm 18 also, if necessary, may be projected downward slightly .so as to enable the steering link and guide arm members to clear the lower edge of the bumper ZUQThe clevis S5 itself is made rather substantial inrder to uphold the portions 6|) and "lil which .members it links together.

The best performance of the instant device is obtained when imaginary straight lines connecting the four points represented by vertical pin 25, the king-pin 49, the ball 6|, and the clevis pin form a parallelogram. Therefore, when using the device the steering member tube 60 and the clevis member 8l therein are adjusted by expansion or contraction so as to make a ligure as near to a parallelogram as possible. ,As different makes of automobiles vary .in-structure, and as some stub axles are shorter than others, or because their two front king-pins are closer together, some additional adjustment may be Ymade by shifting the position of the bracket 27 on the draw-bar beam 2|, For that purpose a series of spaced horizontally extending holes may be drilled in the beam 2|. This manner of adjustment is not illustrated in detail in the drawings as anyone skilled in the art may readily provide for such assembly. In practice, it has been found that for limited towing `of passenger vehicles other than buses all adjustments for practical, temporary purposes maybe easily and quickly made by extending or retracting the clevis member 61. I

As it is desirable to retain through the entire use and operation of the device as much of the aforementioned parallelogram formation as possible; and as the intermittent flexing of the bumper 28 would tend to upset or destroy the geometic formation, certain braces are provided which make a substantially rigid connection to the rear vehicle'chassis. The brace members hereinafter described tend to prevent unnecessary wear on the vehicle tires otherwise caused by the vibrating movement of the bumper and the draw-bar members.

The brace members consist of two strips of hard, rigid metal herein referred to as bars 88 and 8| each of which is provided or drilled with equally spaced holes at their respective ends. The bar 88 extends radially, rearward and side- Wise from the pivot pin 25 to the fork of the bumper bracket members 82 and 83 on the left side of the vehicle I8, and the bar 8| extends similarly to the bracket on the right side frame member of the vehicle |8. These bars Aare attached to the top portion of the clamp member 22 and extend over the top edge of the bumper 28.

As the bumper 28, with which this device is intended to be used, is mounted on V type brackets, the spreading bracket arms 82 and 83 form very suitable mounts for the outer ends of the bars 88 and 8|. Extending vertically between the bracket arms 82 and 83, somewhat close to where the two arms come together, there is a machine bolt 84. 'Ifnis machine bolt l84| is a little longer than the width of the said arms 82 and 83. A pair of co-related washers indicated by the characters 85 and 88 engage the upper edges of the bumper bracket arms 82 and 83, and similarly another pair of washers 85a and 86a engage the lower edges of the bumper bracket arms 82 and 83.

'I'he two top co-related washers 85 and 86 are each provided with downwardly extending tabs 81 and 88 and the two bottom co-related washers are similarly provided `with upwardly extending tabs 81a and 88a. The tabs 88a contact the outer surfaces of the bracket arms 82 and 83. Both pairs of co-related washers are made with corrugated contacting surfaces 89; so that they, after being set in the desired position, cannot turn with respect to each other or move with respect tothe bracket arms 82 S1 and 88, 81a and vehicles in tandem, the top pair of washers 85 and 86 is first placed on the bumper bracket arms 82 and 83 so that the tabs 81 and 88 each engage one of the arms; secondly, the ends of the upper bars 88 and 8| are placed over the washers 85 and 38 with the holes of each bar coinciding; thirdly, the bolt 84 is inserted therethrough so that its threaded end extends belowA and between the arms 82 and 83; next, the bottom washers 85a and 88a are slipped over thebolt so that their respective upwardly extending tabs 81a and 88a engage the bottom edges of the bracket arms 82 and 83; and finally, after the forward ends of the brace bars 80 and 8l have y been connected to the clamp member 22, all the parts are rmly locked together by the nut 84a and the lock washer 84h. n

By reason of the corrugations 89 on the washers, the bolt 84 can be rigidly locked in the fork of the two arms 82 and 83 and in a position corresponding to the` spacing required by the two holes in the bars 88 and 8|. The tabs 81 and 88 or 81a. and 88a may be spread or closed to fit the particular structure on hand and altogether a rm, strong and rigid link is formed by the drawbar member 2l andthe rear vehicle chassis I9.

It will now be clear that there is provided by this invention an automatic tow-bar which accomplishes the objects heretofore set forth. While the invention has been described in a specific form and while certain general terms and special language have been used, it is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as described is suggestive only and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. It is to be further understood that there may be other forms or adaptations of the invention which will suggest themselves to persons familiar with the art and those modifications are also considered to be kwithin'the broad scope of the invention set forth as no limitations upon it are intended other than those imposed thereonl by the breadth of the appended claims.

I claim:

`1. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the end of a stub axle, com- I prising a bushing having internal running thread engageable with the said axle, the said bushing being longer than the axle end and extending outwardly thereof, a locking means integral with the said bushing for securely engaging the axle end therein, a screw member engaging the internal running thread of the said bushing and also abutting the end of the said axle, a collar member having an arm integral therewith mounted on the said bushing and connected to the said towing device, a lock-nutI on the said screw member retaining the collar member on the bushing, and a washer mounted on the screw member intermediate the said bushing and the said lock-nut.

2. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile front axle, comprising in combination, a

bushing member engageable with the said axle threaded end, a means for locking the bushing thereon, a collar member including an arm of the said steering device and engageable with the bushing member, and means for retaining the collar member on the bushing.

3. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an

. axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile'front axle, comprising in combination, a bushing member engageable with the axle threaded end, a collar member including a steeringarm and swvelly engageable with the bushing -member, and means for retaining the bushing and the collar members on the said axle.

4f. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile front axle, comprising in combination, a split bushing memberrincluding a pinch-collar mountable on the threaded end of the axle, a

'collar member having a steering arm thereon engageable with the bushing member, and a means for retaining the collar member on the said bushing member.

5. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile front axle, comprising in combination, an internally threaded bushing member mountable on the threaded end of the axle and having a locking device thereon for retaining the bushing and the axle in rigid engagement, a collar member swvelly engageable with the bushing member and having a steering arm integral therewith, and a threaded means for retaining the collar member on the bushing member.

6. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile front axle,lcomprising in combination, a bushing member including a split-collar at one end and having a threaded inner surface engaging the axle threaded end and a smooth outer surface, a collar member swvelly engageable with the smooth outer surface of the bushing member and having a steering arm integral therewith, a screw member engaging the inner surface of the bushing member, projecting outwardly therefrom and abutting the said axle threaded end, and a means mounted on the screw, member engaging the bushing memberat the end opposite the splitcollar and retaining the collar member thereon.

'7. In a vehicle towing and steering device, an axle attachment for the threaded end of an automobile front axle, comprising in combination, a bushing member having a threaded inner surface engaging the `axle threaded end and having a smooth outer surface, a split-collar integral with the bushing member and having a pinch device thereon for locking the bushing member in rigid engagement with the said axle threaded end, a

collar member engageable with the outer surface HARRY H. RODIN. 

